


Pas de deux

by Bruguer



Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: AU, Ballet, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:48:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27003799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bruguer/pseuds/Bruguer
Summary: Raquel is a ballet dancer with a passion for dance but when she is paired up with the company's youngest and most inexperienced pianist for the winter festival, she thinks her dream of getting the lead role for the next play will be harmed.
Relationships: Raquel Murillo/Professor | Sergio Marquina
Comments: 16
Kudos: 68





	1. Pilot

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lovelyraquel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lovelyraquel/gifts).



> Hiii loves!  
> I can't believe I was only going to post a one-shot here and now this is my fifth work.
> 
> I'm excited about this one and I truly hope you like this as much as I do.  
> I know that slow burn is awful but I'll try my best to not make you suffer.  
> Please if anyone has a suggestion don't hesitate in letting me know your ideas and observations.  
> There's characters that are not in the show, I'll try to develop them as much as possible but if you have any questions about them let me know.
> 
> English is not my first language so I apologize in advance for any mistakes (there might be more than a few, sorry🥴)
> 
> This is dedicated to @loveysworld I hope this makes you feel a little bit better. Lots of love.
> 
> Please enjoy, LY

“Now from fifth position let’s do Tendu let’s do fifth, fifth, pas de cheval and fifth, double pique, out in and repeat and one and two...”

Mrs Irma instructs the girls in the classroom as the music from the piano begins to play. They usually use record tracks but today Irma wanted to do an exercise when the tempo of the music will be constantly changing so a piano was going to be needed.

The abrupt sound of the door opening startled the pianist who stop playing, resulting in the girls stoping the exercise and a very mad Mrs. Irma glaring at the door.  
The youngest member of the team was standing there with a guilty face, brown strands of her hair falling on either side of her face giving her bun an untidy appearance, she was sweating and panting probably because she came here running from work. But to miss Irma everything was just an excuse.

“Murillo you’re late! And look at you you’re a mess”

“I know I’m sorry it won’t happen again”

“You said that last time”

Raquel ignored the glare on her teacher’s face and hurry to take off her sweater and putting her ballet shoes on. Two years of experience with miss Irma had thought her that instead of talking about dumb ”excuses” like she call them it was always better to just let it go and join the class quickly and in silence.

She hurries to the bars ready to start the current exercise, her lips curves upward when she sees Maeve shake her head at her not surprised by her friend’s unpunctuality.

-fifth, fifth, pas de cheval, fifth, double pique, out, in-

Today the movements feel almost mechanical to her unlike most days when she is so focused on what her body is doing even if is the simplest step. She loves ballet and she has always been passionate and perfectionist about it, always putting all her effort and heart in every practice and every dance.

Today is different tho, Raquel feels distracted, her thoughts dispersed, and her appearance is a perfect example of how she's feeling right now. All over the place.  
If anyone ask her she would say that everything is fine but in reality her life is a complete mess. A big one.

Her father called this morning and he completely ignored the fact that he hadn't talk to her daughter for weeks, he didn't even asked her how she was, he went straight to the point.

-Are you done pretending that you're life is stable, when are you coming home?-

This conversation was normal these days with her father, and to be frank she was getting tired of it, she hates that her conversations with her father have been reduced to either a very uncomfortable chat where his father pretends to have interest in a life he does not approve of or an agitated fight that ends up tiring both. 

At times like this she misses her mom. 

Ever since she died when Raquel was 11 years old her relationship with her father change a lot. Don't get her wrong she loves her dad and is eternally grateful to him, he did a good job without her mom, but Raquel have always been a mommy’s girl and it was hard for her to trust her dad the way she did with her mom. She was her confident and her biggest fan in everything she did, Marivi was the one who accompanied her to each of her classes, who healed her legs after a hard day, who shouted “That’s my daughter!” in the most embarrassing way in all her recitals and who urged her to always surpass herself and never give up in her passions.  
Her father on the other hand was present but not in the way her mother was, so when the both of them were left alone with each other, he didn’t get it. He never understood her ambitions and dreams seeing them as a child dreaming big when she was young and then as “nonsense” when she grew up.

Julio, her father, never really approved her choices in life especially not the one she make when she decided to move to Madrid to pursue her dream of studying at one of the best dance academies in the country. He told her constantly that dancing wasn't a career and it would get her nowhere. 

According to him if she continued to daydream about impossible things she would end up regretting it and by the time she finally realizes, it might be to late to have a dignified life.

Raquel gets where he is coming from when he tells her all this, her grandfather was the same with him and when you lose your wife and are left alone with a daughter to take care of, it gets hard, really hard. He work his butt off to give her a good life, and make her happy.  
Besides, to be honest the office was a safe place for him, work kept his mind busy and it made him forget the ache in his heart and the feeling of dying he felt since he got the news that the love of her life was no longer alive.  
He got so invested in this that ultimately he manage to make a good fortune and give her daughter a ”dignified life” like he called it. It wasn't the life he had imagine but it was decent and to him a good career and a good job got him there.

For years she understood him and she never complained about his constant absence knowing that the only reason he was absent was because he was trying to give her the best life. Or at least what he thought was one.  
He tried, he really tried but he never understood that she didn’t share the same ideas, she wasn't the kind of person to sit in a office all day, she needed movement and ballet gave her that. She felt truly happy every time she danced, she felt full, it make her heart warm and just like her dad with his job, dance helped her move on and it became her safe place.

Her last year of Highschool was a nightmare because apart from the stress of graduating and the multiple hard exams, she was constantly bombarded by questions about which college she was going, whether she would move to another city and in general what were her plans. She hated that everyone knew what to do with their lives except for her -supposedly- in reality she knew what she wanted to do, the problem was that her father would never approve that. Not in a million years.

An opportunity came in the 13th of February: one of the most prestigious academies in Spain was having open auditions that weekend. The place she dreamed to go since she was 7.

-Royal Ballet Academy of Madrid-

Reading the name out loud and filling the online application brought a warm sense of nervousness to her heart. This is what she wanted to do with her life.  
She knew her dad would never let her go to the audition, he had even sent her application to various universities claiming that this was what her daughter was going to do.  
He even asked her long ago to leave the dance academy in Basauri to concentrate more on her studies, and she always refused to it.

The solution to this problem took shape in Maeve, her best friend. They met each other at ballet class when they were 6 years old and they have inseparable since then. Maeve’s mom, Lucia was like a second mother to her.

Her green eyed friend was also going to do the audition and with the help of Lucia they created a plan.

She told her dad she was going on vacation with Maeve and her mom to Madrid just to visit the city for a few days, they would go to restaurants, museums and a certain building with the letters ”RBAM” (royal ballet academy of Madrid) at the front door, but this last one her father didn't need to know.

The day came and the two girls found themselves in a room full of ambitious dancers from all over the country, all of them sharing the same dream.  
They did the audition, according to Raquel she had never danced so well in her life, she gave everything on stage and the critics she received were mostly good, but there were such talented people in that place that she did not know what to expect.

The letter arrived a month later and to this day she still thanks heaven that she was the one to pick up the mail that day, her father never noticed it.

-Dear miss Murillo:  
We are pleased to announce that you have been selected to be a part of the Royal Ballet Academy located in the city of Madrid-

She had never screamed so loud in her life, well except minutes later when Maeve called her to announce that she too had been accepted. They had succeeded, together.

Raquel and Maeve had been accepted among thousands of talented people that did the audition, the two of them were moving to Madrid to pursue their dream. Finally.

Her happy bubble broke when she remembered that there was one little detail, Julio Murillo, her father.

It was time to tell her dad the news, and just like she imagine he wasn't fond with the idea, not in the slightest. He actually got extremely mad at her, first because she hid this from him, she lied to him and she went against him.  
Their long discussion -that was actually just him screaming at her- ended with her father telling what she already knew. He wasn't going to support her. If she wanted to go, she would have to manage on her own, he wasn't helping her. If she wanted to waste the good he have given her he wasn’t going to be there to watch.

Raquel was stubborn and ambitious and she have heard that never ending tale of her dad more times that she can count. She was not going to please him this time, it was her life and she gets to decide, she was going to do it with or without his help.  
That's how at the age of 18 she found herself taking a plane to Madrid leaving her little Basauri town behind, ready to start in a new city.

She's happy with how her life turned out, she isn't studying to get a degree at a fancy college but she is part of the most advance class in the academy, she shares a cute apartment with Maeve and has a job at a local cafe called ”Broga” not exactly a good one, her boss is the worst and the working hours are awful giving the fact the she doesn't get much paid.

But hey it pays the bills.  
Well, until now.

Her apartment is not expensive, they were lucky to found something like this, but the Academy’s tuition is not exactly cheap, quite expensive to be honest. She manage to pay the last two years thanks to some money her mother left her, money that no longer excited.

That’s the reason she's constantly worried and distracted, she doesn’t know what to do and it’s making her stress a lot.  
Lately her life is pretty much the way her dad always warn her, not a single penny in her pocket and not a plan to move forward.  
She hates it, hates that her father’s voice -I told you- is always sounding on her head.

She's running out of options and she certainly would never ask her father for money. That would be like giving up and Raquel Murillo is not a woman that gives up easily.

”RAQUEL!!”

Maeve's voice brings her back to reality.  
The class has finished and the girls are sitting in a circle on the floor resting and talking a little before going home. All eyes are on her, confuse as to why their friend seems to be in another world since the class started.

”We were asking why you got late today”

Agatha, one of the girls in the class repeats the question she never got to hear.  
She is this gorgeous black-haired girl, extremely funny and with an impeccable technique. She met her a year upon arriving at Madrid, but not in the academy, she found her one night at her apartment with Maeve eating each others faces on the kitchen.  
She suppressed a grin at the two girls with flushed faces and retreated herself to her bedroom not without winking her eye at her friend.

She later found out that Agatha was also a dancer in the academy and later on they started to share the same class with Mrs. Irma getting along from the first moment.  
Although she never saw her again at the apartment.  
Maeve claims it was a one night thing but the tension between the two girls can be seen from a hundred miles away, Raquel is sure that one day all the tension is going to break and she would be welcomed at her apartment with them kissing against the kitchen counter, again.

“Oh you know same as always, boss wouldn’t let me go until I finished the dishes”  
Raquel answers Agatha’s question.

“You really have to find another job love”

Monica her second closest friend tells her. She knows her friend is right, her job is awful but she’s scared that if she quits she's not going to able to find another one, and that's one more trouble to add to the list.

Their chat is interrupted by the director, Agustin, entering the room as she calls them to join him in a circle.

”Good night girls, I'm glad to see that your class went well and you're ready to go home. As you know our annual Winter festival is coming closer and apart from your usual presentations I have a surprise for you”

All the girls grew excited with the director words turning their smiling faces to their friends.

”Mrs. Irma class has proved to be the best in here, and as you know next year we are doing GISELLE and one of you would get to be the lead at the play, the Winter festival is going to be your audition, each one of you would be paired with a pianist from the academy of arts in the front building. You have to come up with an original piece of music and choreography, the best one would win the honor of being the lead in GISELLE. The sky is the limit girls show us everything you’re capable of, and remember that the lead of the play gets a full scholarship, Mrs. Irma is going to give you your respective partners, good luck”

A scholarship. That would surely solve many of her problems, plus the lead role in her favorite play of all times!! That would be a dream come true.

It he was settled, Raquel was going to win that, she needed to.

The pianists from the art academy are not strangers to them, one of them is even Monica’s boyfriend, Daniel.  
They do every winter festival together and sometimes go out with them, in general they’re truly talented and there’s always an atmosphere of respect and admiration for each other's talent.

“Okay girls this are your partners: Jimenez with Fuentes, Torres with Velazco, Gaztambide with Flores, Hills with Cruz, Villanueva with Perez, Gómez with Medina, Coulson with Ramirez, Parker with Ramos, and finally Murillo with Marquina”

“Omg! Andres Marquina?!”

The most talented pianist at the academy, she would definitely win this.

“Oh no, his younger brother, Sergio”

SERGIO MARQUINA?!

This has to be a joke.


	2. You sound like a memory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiii! Here's chapter two of me trying to write a full story I hope you like it.  
> I'm thinking of doing a weekly update or if I have time maybe two chapters per week but I can't promise anything.
> 
> Lots of love, enjoy.🤍
> 
> Sorry for any mistakes

Chapter 2 “You sound like a memory”

Sergio walks through the building halls crossing several rooms on either side of him, looking for room A-05, he's nervous and he only notices it because the white paper he's holding with his left hand is a little wet prove that his hands are sweating.

His mind is clouded with thoughts and insecurities -was he too overdressed, too early, too shaky?- One thing is for sure, he is in fact early, extremely early to be honest, that’s why when he finally spots the classroom A-05, he keeps walking, not getting into the room he is supposed to.  
He doesn't want to interrupt something or look like an idiot standing in the room alone.   
An idiot walking through the halls is much more appealing to him.   
He curses at himself and his weird habit of always arriving early to everything, he hates impunctuality that's why he never takes any chances and leaves a ”little” early to get on time, but he sometimes -always- surpasses himself and ends up arriving too early every single time.   
The watch on his wrist tells him that today he's half an hour early. Half an hour walking like an idiot is not that much, he tries to convince himself. 

It is in fact a lot.

On Wednesday the director of the ballet academy, Mr. Agustin visited his school to invite several members of the academy of arts to participate in the Winter Festival.   
It was no news that both academies did the festival together every year, attracting hundreds of people to the theatre, eager to enjoy multiple pieces of the best ballet dancers in the country, and enjoy marvelous music compositions by the musicians of the Art Academy. 

A huge reputation proceeds the Festival, that's why over the years the participation has become more exclusive.  
Not everyone gets the chance to participate in it, you have to have a good development throughout the year and be recommended by one of the teachers.

His brother Andres, ”a prodigy” like many people calls him, has participated in every festival since he entered the Academy seven years ago, earning a lot of respect and recognition from everyone. Becoming the pride of his family. He on the other hand is an outsider, he walks behind him, tracing the same path of his shadow but with less recognition and... Confidence, he sometimes gets tired of not getting out of there and is on him as much as is on everybody else.  
Don't get him wrong, he loves his brother and is extremely aware of his enormous talent as a pianist, he's proud of him, so proud. He just wishes that people didn't mention him every time they meet him or jump at the mention of his last name diverting the conversation to someone that is not him. He hates the way they always compared him with Andres because it's never the other way.

”At your age, your brother was doing this and that”

”You’re getting better, you just haven't caught up with your brother yet”

And he doesn't want that, he doesn't want to be better than his brother or anyone else for that matter. He just wants to be his own person, make his own path without following anyone's footsteps. 

Sergio is rather quiet and socially awkward but he felt like screaming and hugging someone when he got the news that this year he is actually invited to participate in the winter festival. He has worked so hard this year, getting better and better, ignoring all the mean comments of his own conscience and others, he's been taking small steps and making little achievements from the shadows, a difficult road but so so worth it.  
He couldn't be more excited.

He fell hard from cloud nine when Agustin mentioned that he would also be partnered with one of the dancers to make an original piece as an audition to get the lead in their next play.  
He can't do that, it's too much pressure and he won't take a person with him if he fails. Because he's so nervous about this, it’s his debut, the first time they’re going to present him by his name and he’s so nervous, what is going to do know that another person depends on him. If he fails it won’t be just on him and that makes him feel a hell of a lot more nervous.   
Besides who wants to be with the newbie? -he thinks- if this was an audition to get the lead, it must be something big to them, a big dream. Imagine being partnered with the most inexperienced pianist in such a big opportunity.  
He knows for sure the girl he's partnered with is going to hate him, I mean who wouldn't?

He thought about declining the offer to save himself the hatred of one person and the shame of failure for both, the thing is this is his dream and he has worked so hard to get where he is now, and saying no would mean a huge disappointment to him and the academy, they won't invite him again he's certain.

He doesn't want to do it, doesn't want to disappoint anyone.

Half an hour passes and he founds himself walking through the halls of the building again, his hand unfolds the white paper he's been holding all day.

-Raquel Murillo-

He reads the name in his mind for the hundred time since Wednesday.   
The name itself has a nice ring to it and he can't shake the feeling that it sounds like a memory, like something he has heard before or perhaps seen, no not seen because although he definitely remembers the name, the memory is not accompanied by an image of its owner.  
He might have heard his brother say the name or one of his classmates must have mentioned it at some point.

He likes the sound of the memory, a lot to be honest.

His feet reaches the door and this time he does get in, quietly tho because two girls are sitting in front of the room mirror talking to each other and he doesn’t want to disturb them, they don't seem to acknowledge his presence yet so he decides to analyze them curiously.   
The girl on his left has curly brown hair that falls on both of her shoulders, she’s wearing black denim pants and a white sweater, her legs seem to be a bit longer than the girl’s next to her which mean she's taller, she's wearing glasses just like him, although she wears them proudly with her chin up, not like him who is always pulling them up uncomfortably.   
The other girl laughs at something her friend says revealing a beautiful smile that leaves him speechless for a second, is contagious because the thing he knows is that he's smiling too. He can’t tell if her blonde hair is straight or curly because it's wrapped up in a bun, she wearing a leotard and grey sweatpants.  
He doesn't understand why but he feels drawn to her, she seems interesting and he can’t deny the fact that she’s beautiful and definitely looks a Raquel Murillo.

The curly girl lifts her head and catches him on the mirror, turning around and getting on her feet with her friend following close behind.

“Hi! I’m Maeve and you must be Andre’s brother”

The taller girl introduces herself happily, he immediately likes her personality and the way she's so open and warm but as much as he wants to return her gesture he can't keep his eyes away from the girl behind Maeve, there's something about her that he can't seem to point out but his eyes won't leave her.

Raquel raises an eyebrow at him totally confused as to why he hasn't answer Maeve’s question and the way he's looking at her like he's trying to decipher her.  
He suddenly gets back to reality and turns to Maeve pushing up his glasses with his fingers, looking rather flushed and nervous.  
-Cute- she thinks.

“Uhm yes my name is Sergio”

He says offering his hand for a formal shake and she gladly takes it.

”Well nice to meet you, Sergio, this is my friend Raquel she's going to be your annoying partner” 

The girl behind her -who he now knows for sure her name is Raquel- gives a dirty look to her friend and then catches his eyes for the second time that day.

”Hi nice to meet you”

”You too” 

She smiles again, that contagious smile that he immediately returns. They stay like that in an uncomfortable silence where he’s finally complementing the memory of her name and she just doesn't know what to say.

Maeve notices this and decides to fill the silence with a genuine doubt she has:

”How come I have never seen you in one of Andres parties before? he hosts one every time he can”

”Oh I don't really like to attend them I usually stay in my bedroom”

”Well aren't you kind of boring”

”I...”

He doesn't seem to be mad about the comment but he looks nervous and totally out of place, something that Maeve doesn't notice but Raquel does and he feels kind of sorry for him, the way his eyes avoid them and keep looking in all directions looking for a way out makes her realize that he doesn't want to be there.

”Maeve leave him alone”

”What? I'm just impressed that he's the total opposite of his brother, I mean I'm not a close friend of him he's too famous to acknowledge me but he is this eccentric creature, super talkative, and passionate, and laud, and you're just...”

She takes a look at him to found the right word to describe him but she realizes that she's making him uncomfortable and Raquel is giving her a dirty look that says shut up.

”Oh sorry you have to practice and I need to learn to shut up, I'll leave you two alone”

She goes to grab her bag from the place they were sitting earlier and then joins them again, placing a chaste kiss on her friend’s cheek.

”Bye love I’ll see you at home”  
She then turns to Sergio ”A pleasure to meet you prospect”

And then she's out of the door leaving the two strangers alone in a room, none of them really sure what to do next.

”Prospect?”

She says the first thing that comes to her mind.

”Uhm yeah everyone calls me that at the academy although I don’t know why she knows it”

“She probably heard it from someone, she’s nosy”

“Yeah I can tell”

Raquel laughs at his quick response and gives him a curious look, something completely innocent that he takes the wrong way, regretting saying that about her friend and fearing that he somehow made her mad.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t...”

“No no, it’s fine don’t worry”

She cuts him before he finishes reassuring him that everything is fine and that he took it the wrong way.

“And tell me why do they call you prospect?”

Raquel has a pretty good guess about this, in fact, she knows for certain why they call him that, but there's something inside her that still makes her wanna ask him about it, she feels genuinely curious about him and somewhat attracted to him, but she won't admit it to anyone not even herself.

It’s funny because three days ago she prayed destiny to change her partner, this opportunity came once in a lifetime and she didn't have anything against him, but it was true that his reputation as a pianist and even as a person is not very good and she needed good. Now tho with him, chatting comfortably about why he got that not nickname, she finds Sergio Marquina to be an interesting person.

This might not be as bad as she thought.  
This might not be as bad as he thought.

It is. 

She's a little disappointed to be honest, and it really frustrates her that she wanted to be wrong about him, she truly wanted this to work out and the worst part is that at first, it appears that they could be a great duo, the first twenty minutes were quite good.  
After their little chat she proposed that he play something while she made a little choreography just to see if they worked together and they did, the problem came when she asked him to play a little with the tempos and he kept messing every now and then.   
This obviously made him nervous and uncomfortable and the heavy air between them returned.

As much as she wants to believe that he is a good musician and that together they could win this, he kept proving her wrong, messing up with the notes and after mistake 20, she just got frustrated and Raquel is awful when she’s frustrated.

In the end, she's just too tired to keep going like this and he looks extremely relieved that she wants to finish this rehearsal early.   
He hurries out of the door not even saying goodbye to her, fearing that whatever he says would make him look more like an idiot -if that's even possible- or getting her madder, because she is mad. God, he really made a full of himself with her, if she didn't hate him before she surely hates him now, he’s the reason she won’t get the lead. She got unlucky, she got the nervous and inexperienced guy who's going to mess up in every single rehearsal and even the day of the show. She got the idiot that didn't even have respect to saying goodbye, he just ran out of the room like a scared kid.  
He was in fact so rude with her back then, he didn't even look at her or said goodbye, nor did he apologize for being the reason she ended her day exhausted and in a bad mood.

He wants to get back, he needs to get back.

For a minute he thinks that maybe he's been wrong about himself all this time and all the people that kept saying that he wasn't good enough were actually right, he's been fooling himself with the thought that he's something more than just Andres Marquina little brother.  
But no he’s so much more than that, he’s sure of that and he needs her to know that.  
He wants to make this right because he knows he can do it, he has worked so hard to get where he is and he is a good pianist. They can make a great team together he’s sure of that he just needs to have more confidence and convince her to give him another chance.   
He can help her win this.

His mind is set and he runs, runs to room A-05 for the third time that afternoon praying that she's still there.  
Lucky for him she is.

She’s stretching in the same spot he first saw her. Now instead of Maeve catching his eye through the mirror, she is the one that does it and she forces a smile at him when she turns to face him.

”Uhm I just came here to tell you that... I’m sorry for leaving so abrupt and not saying goodbye that was extremely disrespectful and I’m also sorry about making you frustrated and messing a little... a lot with the tempos, Look I just” 

Her eyes don’t leave him when she stands up grabbing her bag approaching him without saying anything, encouraging him to continue.  
He takes a deep breath and keeps going:

”Look I'm just not used to working with people, I feel more comfortable working on my own and I don’t like people depending on me, but I want to make this good, I don't know what you have heard about me and I can't promise you that you'll get a prodigy like my brother, but I'm not that untalented and I'm excited to do this with you, I'm going to put all my effort in making this work. So perhaps if you gave me another chance to start again?”

He finishes the question breathless, he has never opened up like this to a person he just met and he doesn’t know why telling all this feels easy, feels right? 

Raquel feels bad now for all the awful things she said to him in her head because here he is asking her for another chance on something he actually never lost. Like he did make her a little mad and this is not the beginning and the partner she wished for but she's not a bitch and she won't walk away complaining about it. Raquel Murillo is not like that, she doesn't give up easily and she won't let him give up either. She agrees with him, maybe they can work together after all.

Sergio gets nervous when she doesn't answer him and he starts to shift uncomfortably on his feet, maybe this was a mistake and after that disastrous first rehearsal, she’s done.  
He's about to say something else when...

“Okay then when’s our next rehearsal?”

She finally says giving him a true smile, not like the one she gave him a few minutes ago.

“Oh, next week at the same hour?”

“Sure, Goodbye Sergio”

She says putting on her hoodie and walking away.

She takes a cab and he drives home.

They both get received at home with the same question asked by two different people: ”Sooo how did it go?”

And they both answer the same thing: ”Fine, I guess”

Next chapter: ”Someone’s always listening”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think and thanks for reading 🤍
> 
> Tw: @Safandomera


	3. Someone is always listening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi beautiful people I know I took so long to update I hope you haven't lost faith in me and the beginning of this journey.🤍  
> So sorry for all the mistakes.  
> Enjoy.
> 
> This story was and still is for Lovey, wherever this angel is.  
> I know I'm just a stranger on the Internet and I'm no expert but please if you ever need someone to talk to, let off steam or scream at please know that I'm always here. ALWAYS🤍

Chapter 3  
”Someone is always listening”

Life in Madrid often proved to be a challenge to Raquel, she's smart and very mature, and she's always looking for every option to solve the problems she's constantly faced with. She’s one of those girls that is very attentive to what surrounds them and she’s good at making conclusions, a quality that has helped her throughout her whole life.   
The thing is Madrid is a monster compared to her little hometown. 

Loud and fast would be the perfect words to describe it, everything moves so fast in that city, everyone's always in a rush and the streets are always flooded with car horns desperate to get to the same place everyday.  
The streets and the public transport are full with loud voices of people screaming to the phone, tourists lost in the place and people not really paying attention to what surrounds them.

Just like her.

The excessive resounding sound of a car horn brought her back to reality, giving her a little headache thanks to the piercing sound making her move backwards to the safety of the sidewalk.

”Yeah I'm fine, this dumbass was about to run me over”  
She said to her friend over the phone after taking a few breaths to calm down.

The traffic light was actually in red when she was crossing the street but by now she should know that the cars here don't really respect that. And it's her fault to be honest, because in fact after two years living in this monster she actually knows that, she was just a little distracted-a lot-

And it's not the first time she’s about to be run over this week it has happened multiple times these last few days.

She ended the call with Maeve saying that she would very much like to make it alive to the academy and that she would see her there.

Arriving safely at the front door of the Academy was a miracle and she was able to let go of the breath she has been holding since she woke up this morning.

It's a Friday afternoon and she couldn't be more grateful for the weekend ahead. She certainly is looking forward to ending this awful week. 

Monday welcomed her with a huge fight with her boss because he hired this new girl even though they can't afford paying new workers, so it obviously resulted in Mr. Torres reducing her salary. Her miserable salary.   
Then Tuesday came and her knees were killing her since the morning and since they practice leaps that day it ended up with a Ms. Irma screaming at her face during the whole rehearsal for not jumping high enough and a doctor’s appointment scheduled for the next day.

Wednesday was surprisingly the highlight of the week, her appointment with the therapist went well and by the end of it although she was forced to use those uncomfortable tapes her knees didn’t hurt that much. Finishing a better practice than the day before without an old lady screaming in her face, she waited in room A-05 for her festival partner.

Sergio.

They haven’t really made that much of a progress together and they weren’t exactly friends but they tolerated each other and she would be lying if she said that she didn’t feel happy for the first time that week when she saw his clumsy feet and shy smile walking through the door.

They had a good -average- rehearsal, he actually created the beginning of a beautiful combination for her and by the end of the day they had already created 20 seconds of the choreography.

Great 20 seconds done, almost 4 minutes to go.

They talked that day -well she talked, he just stood there listening and nodding his head- and she realized that she actually likes being with him, his clumsy personality amuses her to no end and she mysteriously found his presence rather comforting.  
But there’s something there that doesn’t let her accept him completely, well not him just what he represents. Sergio is literally her last chance, her future depends on him and what they do together, so of course she resents the idea that she has been partnered with the least experienced musician at the academy. And it happens to be him.

Thursday her father called and well… same as always.

Today was Friday and she definitely started the day with the wrong foot and it seems that luck wasn’t on her side this day.

Walking into the building she was welcomed with some kids running to her, two of them confusing the floor with her feet. 

-Great, just great- she thought.

She wants to cry, like really cry, crawl into her bed in fetus position and cry. She’s constantly getting anxious these last days and she feels totally drained, mentally and physically exhausted. And it shows because the moment Maeve sees her she has this worried look in her face like she has just seen a ghost, which is probably the way Raquel looks right now.

”Quel, are you okay?”

”Yeah I'm fine Maeve I guess my head has been somewhere else these last few days”

But then again thank God it’s Friday and tomorrow there’s no practice, she can come home and sleep until at least Sunday afternoon. 

”Well don't worry because tonight you can’t forget about everything at Monica’s party!”

Raquel looks at her friend with her tired eyes, the truth is that as much as she wants to imitate Maeve’s enthusiasm she’s not looking forward to a party this particular night.

Maeve feels confused at her friend’s reaction to the reminder of the party, Raquel is usually the soul of every party, always dancing and talking to everyone, drinking and just letting loose.  
During the whole years she has known Raquel she has never seen her reject a party, but she knows that Raquel isn’t at her best right now and to be honest she’s a little worried about her. She’s her best friend and they have always been there for each other, so although she’s dying to enjoy herself tonight, Raquel is more important.

“But if you don’t feel like going then we can stop at the store to buy ice cream and those awful gummy stuff you like and spend the rest of the night watching movies like the old days”

Maeve gives her a reassuring smile that makes her feel a little better, she loves her because she has always been there for her but she can’t do that to her. Now that she remembers the party the memory of an excited Maeve jumping into her bed to tell her that Agatha had asked her if she would be there and that she was looking forward to see her that night comes to her. Raquel knows her friend has been looking forward to this party for days and as much as she seriously doesn’t want to go tonight, she’s gonna do it for her best friend because she’s sure she would do the same for her.

“Thanks Mae, but I know you wanna go and maybe the party is a good distraction to me, we’re going”  
The grin Maeve gives her is exactly what she expected.

The sound of two claps gets the attention of everyone in the room, it means that Ms. Irma is ready to start the class.  
All the girls get on their feet and move to the bars.

“We will decide it at home, okay?”

Maeve says, catching Raquel’s arm before the music starts.  
She simply nods her head at her and moves to her place at the bar, starting yet another class.

***

Droplets of water fall on her face taking away the remains of sweat from a weary Ballet practice.   
Raquel always says that the shower is her best friend and if it weren’t for the expensiveness of the water company she would stay in there for hours.

The hot water has helped a lot to her sore muscles, especially her right knee and she feels better now so in the end they decided that they’re going to the party.

“QUEL!!! you’ve been there for hours, you have two minutes to get out or I’m coming in”

The curly girl screams from outside the bathroom door banging it like crazy.

“Chill, I’m just finishing”

Raquel answers from inside the bathroom rolling her eyes at her very much dramatic friend.  
It takes everything in her will to turn the shower off and get out wrapping the white towel tight around her body.  
She shakes her hands a little to remove the steam she created in their tiny bathroom, doing her best to clean it off the mirror because she knows how much Maeve hates when the mirror is fogged.

“And she’s out! Thank u Lord!”

Maeve says dramatically with her arms open thanking whoever is responsible for the miracle of Raquel finally coming out of the door.  
Her answer is the middle finger sign of her friend in a towel and a wave of hot air and steam crashing at her face from inside the bathroom.  
-Ahh she hates her- 

Going through her clothes Raquel feels a little sad when she realizes that she can’t put on her new skirt because of the freaking knee tapes. She was so looking forward to wearing that skirt, another time maybe.  
In the end she decided to go with her usual high waisted jeans and a red top. The night is somewhat cold so she complemented with a denim jacket.

Maeve is wearing her combat boots, black denim pants and a white blouse. She gives an approval whistle to her friend and then the two of them go down to meet the taxi that’s already waiting for them.

***

”Come on little brother it'll be fun”

The insistent voice of his damn brother is starting to get into his nerves. He has told him a million times that he doesn’t want to go to that party and it seems that today he doesn’t understand English because he keeps pushing him.

”I don't think we have the same definition for the word fun”  
Sergio says without even looking up his book.   
It’s true though, the only thing the two brothers have in common is their blood type and their passion for music, in any other aspect of life they’re extremely different.

His brother Andres wouldn’t give up about convincing his brother, he’s getting older and the people he interacts with is him. A little sad if you ask him.  
Well lately he has been meeting with this ballerina chick and although his brother would never admit it he knows he enjoys her company. So maybe -just maybe- she’s what Andres needs to convince his brother to get out of the freaking house just one time.

”Live a little Sergio” Andres encourages his brother getting in the couch with him as he plays with Sergio’s hair, something that he absolutely hates -but its not like he cares-  
”Your girl will be there”

-This is new- Sergio thinks -What girl?- because either he missed something of his personal life or his brother set him up on another awful blind date with a girl.

”My what?”

”Raquel”

-Oh, her- Wait… no she… where did Andres got that idea. 

Did he mention something about her?

Did someone mention something about them?

Is he too obvious when he comes home every Wednesday trying to hide his smile provoked by the best day of his week.

No it can’t be.

”Raquel isn't not my girl, we're just partners for the winter festival and she doesn't even like me, she resents me”

The last part of the sentence doesn’t really sink in his head nor does it does in his brother’s who obviously don't buy it.  
Sergio isn’t really sure where she stands when it comes to him, his mind feels some kind of peace when he thinks about the fact that she doesn’t look as miserable as the first time they met and she talks to him, and smiles at him so he thinks that she doesn’t dislike him but is the last part of the sentence that makes him walk on eggshells every time he’s with her.

Being honest he doesn’t like to think much about it because the fact that somebody resents the idea that they have the younger Marquina as her partner hurts.   
It hurts like a bitch.

But it’s on her and he can’t actually blame her for his confidence issues about always being the shadow of someone else.   
Someone… better.  
Someone that’s enough.

”Oh come on, you told me you guys had a good rehearsal on Wednesday”

He’s not lying, they did have a good rehearsal last time but he can’t imagine her being his company from the night. And he isn’t looking forward to interact with other people in an environment where he doesn’t feel comfortable.  
His brain processes a negative answer yet what comes out of his mouth is totally different: 

”Fine I'll go but I won't stay late”

They decided -Sergio did- to go on separate cars, just in case Sergio will want to go and Andres would be too drunk to care or be convinced. Which is a very high probability.

He’s following Andre’s car because he is the one that knows the way but when they arrive the lights and the music coming from the house make his brother jump out of the car like a light and disappear among the crowd.  
There’s no chance Sergio would be able to be that quick to catch up with him, so he would take his time to park his car.  
He takes a few minutes inside the car, preparing himself mentally. He knows his brother is absolutely right about his lack of human interaction and the way it’s converting him into a caveman, he needs to live a little. He wants to live a little.

Walking through the open door he instantly feels crowded and somewhat insecure, he adjusts his glasses just to have something to do with his hands and not because they’re placed wrong.  
A familiar face catches his eyes and he doesn’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, because Agatha, her cousin, lives to mock him. His answer arrives quickly, with her cousin walking to him with a huge grin on her face.

“Well well well is Sergio Marquina at a party or are my eyes deceiving me?”

The tall brown eyed woman said to him before hitting his shoulder and wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

“Hi Agatha”  
He said when they separated.

“Hi cousin, either the world is ending or Andres pointed a gun at you to come”

Her voice sounds amusing and he thinks that apart from really enjoying the art of making Sergio uncomfortable like she calls it, the way she drags her words makes him think that she has more than one drink in her body.

“He didn’t but I’m not really sure about the world ending I myself don’t even know what I’m doing here”

“Okay come on you look like an idiot standing there on your own I can introduce you to some people” 

His face returns to his usual shy gaze and his glasses are adjusted once again. 

“Don’t worry I’ll make sure they’re a little socially awkward like you”  
She said suppressing a grin after seeing the face of her beloved cousin, earning an eye roll from him.

He would be lying if he said that he isn’t enjoying himself tonight, of course this is not the most appealing plan to him but it’s not torture either. He hasn't seen her or his brother for that matter but some of the people his cousin introduced to him turned out to be good company.  
First there was Martin a dancer from the academy, he thinks that her extravagant personality would match his brother’s but just like with him Sergio found him appealing and he felt comfortable talking to him.  
Then Agatha introduced him to one of her best friends another ballerina called Silene, she was a bit younger than him and her personality is definitely not what he’s used to, she’s fierce and talkative, totally outgoing but they seemed to get along quite well. It was as if they have known each other for years.

The alcoholic drink in his system was making him feel loose and happy and not really himself so when Silene pulled him to the dance floor his mind couldn’t communicate with his actions to tell them that he can’t dance.  
Silene didn’t seem to care about that and she was happily dancing with him, loving the fact that he was trying to follow her cool moves making them totally uncool but he was happy and she likes this awkward guy so she’s just gonna let it go.

At some point during the night he was left alone and while he tried to make himself busy on his phone he knew he looked like a total idiot standing alone in a corner. Perhaps it was time to leave.

He tipped a message to his brother announcing his departure and made his way to the door, but before he got there someone grabbed his arm and pulled him to the edge of one of the tables.

“Hey remember the girl I told you the other time, the one that drives me crazy”

It was Agatha and she was whispering to him.

“The one with the -gorgeous green eyes-“

He said quoting the way she had said that same phrase every time they saw each other at family reunions. He remembers the way her cousin always refers to the mysterious girl in such a lovely way and it goes beyond why she hasn’t make a move on her, not counting that one time.

“Yeah exactly, she’s in the kitchen come with me so you can tell me what you think”

He was already being pulled towards the kitchen before he could refuse it.  
They stopped at the door peeking their heads into the kitchen.

He froze at the door when his eyes caught the sight of the blonde girl he has been looking for all night.  
His smile was soon erased from his face when he heard a certain phrase coming from her mouth.

***

The excessive sound of the music and the smell of a mixture of things was making her feel dizzy that’s why she took refuge in the kitchen leaning in one the multiple counters of the rarely enormous kitchen. She knew Monica’s parents were kind of rich but she had never set foot in her house and let’s just say that she needed to save money all her life and reincarnate 7 times to buy herself a house like this.

The air of her cigarette is helping her feel more calm but this night hasn’t been the best, she feels tired and everything feels heavy on her body even the nose ring she only wears on weekends because God forbids if she came wearing something like that to the Academy. The alcohol and some other substances in her body are finally starting to wear off but to be honest she can’t really remember the begging of the night, she recalls bits of tequila shots, wet grass under her and some strangers lips on her.  
She mistakenly thought that drinking her problems alway would make her feel better but her problems are still there and a headache has joined the list. 

Her peaceful moment is soon interrupted by her friend Maeve and Gaby walking through the door, well Gaby isn’t really her friend she’s more like just one of her conflicting classmates.   
She’s the most technical dancer at the Academy and every teacher loves her which isn’t a reason to not like her but humility isn’t on her vocabulary, she’s extremely arrogant and haughty always stepping on everyone to get on top, not caring about anyone but herself.  
To resume she’s everything Raquel hates on the person and last thing she wants tonight is to talk to someone like her, but before she can excuse herself she’s already starting a conversation.

”So tell me Raquel how are you going with the preparation for the festival, I’m sorry you’re already set to fail”

Gaby says in her usual annoying tone when she approaches her, setting in front of her asking for a cigarette to Raquel, she gives it to her but reluctantly.

“What do you mean?”

She questions realizing the puff of her cigarette. -Oh how she wish to have something stronger-

“Well your partner is the worst musician at the music school and well you haven’t been at your best lately. It’s not looking like a win to me”

“Shut up Gaby”

Any another day she would’ve put up with her words a little longer but today she’s not in the mood to take crap from other people, especially not her.

“Hey I’m just stating facts”

God she just wants to choke her. She won’t do it of course, she was way more class than her but she won’t let her get away with it either.  
She finishes her cigarette giving it one last puff before leaving it in the container next to her.  
Her eyes are looking sharp at Gaby when she says her next words:

“Look I know he’s the worst, the worst partner and the worst musician and yes I hate that I got the untalented Marquina but that’s not going to stop me and I want allow him to make me lose this if that’s what you want, even if I need to make my own musical piece, I’m gonna prove it to you”

The words feels like venom crossing through her throat not only spitting them to Gaby but to herself. They burn, burn because they’re not true.  
She regrets them the instant they leave her mouth, she doesn’t think that, of course she doesn’t think that. Sergio might not be what she wanted initially as a partner and although her future does depend on him she hasn’t lost hope, because he’s good and he’s trying her best for… for her. Her future is still bright because he’s there with there, walking along her to her goal, making progress and growing acquainted with each other. 

And she doesn’t feel worthy of that shy boy’s effort.

Why the fuck did she said that.

She wants to take it back, desperately. The things she said about him are far away from reality and she hates herself for being this awful to him, for betraying him.   
Gaby was just getting on her nerves and her head was killing her and she just wanted her to shut up.

Her only consolation is that apart from Gaby nobody listen to the knife words she spoke, he wasn’t there, he won’t find out,y ya there’s no way he can find out she said that about him.

Right? 

Next chapter: ”Making progress with you is easy”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo tell me what you think👉🏻👈🏻  
> Thanks for reading this🤍
> 
> You can find me on Twitter as: @Safanfomera


	4. Making progress with you it’s easy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiii!🥺🤍  
> This took a little longer than expected but here's a new chapter, please enjoy and let me know what you think.
> 
> Means the word to me that you guys are reading this

Chapter 4  
“Making progress with you it’s easy”

Have you ever been passionate about something?

Have you ever got that feeling of rightfulness and happiness? The one that makes you feel like your heart is about to pop out of your chest at any minute when you're doing something, or perhaps, are with someone.

A warm sensation runs through your body settling with more force on your chest and you feel like floating, and your body, your movements become instinctive, you're not really processing what you're doing you are simply… Feeling them.  
Moments of passion like this are often ruled by the heart, because our brain doesn't have that power of just feel and let go.

There's a video of Raquel dancing when she was younger. Her mother was recording the first time her little girl danced on stage in front of a public, she was wearing a white leotard with a see-through skirt of the same tone, two blue flowers have been sewed to the corner of the skirt, giving the outfit a little bit of color.   
Little Raquel had done a huge tantrum that day because she wanted the flowers to be yellow not blue and it took her mother a lot of convincing to get her daughter to wear the color that the academy asked for instead of her favorite one.

“I’ll tell you something if you stop complaining about wearing the blue flowers, I’ll make you a yellow butterfly costume for your next presentation, the one where the costume choice is personal -she made sure to point that out- ”

”You promise?”

”I do baby, I promise”

The tantrum was long forgotten after the promise and Marivi made herself busy with her daughter’s blonde hair tying it up in a high bun decorating it with yet another blue ribbon to the kid’s dismay.

To this day Raquel still remembers the choreography and she also remembers vividly the tears of her mom when she got out of the stage to hug her. Her arms wrapped around her mother's neck as she repeated to her the words ”you did amazing sweetie” and ”I’m so proud of you”

She was a little older when she saw that video again and the maturity of her now older person was able to comprehend why this exact video was her mother’s favorite. It had been a huge mystery to her for a long time because Raquel had done multiple presentations and open classes and most of them were so much better than that first one, yet her mother would always insist in showing that video to every single one of her acquaintances when they asked about her daughter.  
Of course it bothered her to no end and she got ashamed every time she did it but the look of pride on her mother's face made it impossible to get mad at her. Her mother was so proud of her and that always warmed her heart.   
She felt joyous knowing that her mother admired her that much. 

She was feeling it.  
7 year old Raquel was not just dancing that day on stage, she wasn't just doing the steps her teacher taught her, the ones she had been practicing everyday for the past week. She wasn't using her memory, she wasn't dancing with her little feet… She was dancing with her heart. It reflected perfectly the feeling she always gets when she's dancing. Her eyes were bright and you could tell she was enjoying herself in that dance.

She smiles everytime she sees that video, a smile of nostalgia and something else. She remembers her mother and all the encouraging words she used to tell her when she got too tired to continue with rehearsals, she remembers the frozen vegetables her mother placed on her aching body after long days of practice.  
She remembers the calm voice of her mom always telling her the same thing.

“Don’t let go of that feeling baby, don’t lose that passion, don’t let anyone take it away from you” 

The feeling hasn't dissipate a bit, in fact Raquel thinks it has only grown stronger, she still has the same exact look in her face, the one from the video every time she dances, she still feels that rush and high when she’s in the air doing leaps and she feels joy after a pirouette well executed. She still closes her eyes to feel the music, she gets the tingling in her stomach, the nervousness, all of it.  
She still feels passionate about dancing.

Maybe that's the reason why she left everything behind to keep chasing after that feeling and that rush, that rightfulness in what she's doing.

Raquel has never seen that look in anybody else, of course she had met people with passion about things or persons, enjoying what they do but not the point of that little girl with the white leotard and blue flowers.   
And it's not like she feels superior to any of those people or that she thinks she's one of a kind, it's just that she wants to meet someone that shares that quality with her, she wants to be able to share that passion with someone because sometimes it gets a little overwhelming.  
Even Maeve is always telling her that maybe she should chill about dancing and she's a ballerina herself.

She has tried, of course she has tried multiple times, she tried to quit dancing for her father when he told her it was just too much, she couldn't.

She tried to quit dancing several days after the continuous reprimands in practice; ”Raquel, open your chest!” ”Murillo are you deaf I asked for royals not changements!” ”Murillo jump higher!”  
”You’re doing it wrong” ”more energy” ”higher releve” ”Raquel!!!” 

She didn't quit after that either, she just couldn't. She would always end up craving for more, more to improve, more to achieve. She was born with perseverance or perhaps stubbornness.

She's sure of it. She hasn't seen that passion in any dancer, singer, chef, teacher, musician…

Until now.

***

The constant sound of the clock in the room was proving to be a very annoying sound at that specific moment, the vibration of the minute hand changing positions to the right was only a reminder that she would be here soon. Raquel would be here soon.

It was Wednesday and they had rehearsal, they had decided that that day they could change a bit and do the rehearsal in the music academy instead of the dance academy. So that meant that he was supposed to wait for her and she would arrive soon at one of the music rooms from his building.

He wanted to stop the minute hand from moving more to the right, wanted to stop time, or rather get back in time. Yeah that would be even better. Go back to the moment where he accepted to participate and in the festival, before he even met her.

It’s not usual that Sergio feels attracted or interested to a person not even in a friendly matter, he has never been that talkative and confident person that starts a conversation, and to be honest, he often prefers to be alone and avoid awkward conversations with strangers.   
He doesn't really know how to establish a relationship with another person and to avoid making a fool of himself he simply runs from it. Everytime.

This time though, he really thought it was different, he thought that he was making progress with her, he thought -maybe that's where he went wrong; thinking about things that weren't possible- that they were becoming friends?

Well he definitely thought wrong and the conversation he overheard that night at the party was more than proof of it. He would be lying if he said that it felt like a cold hater bucket thrown to his face, unexpected. But it wasn't, it didn't feel like it, quite the contrary, he was expecting it. He knew deep down what she thought about him, he was just trying to fool himself just one time. He threw a coin in the air expecting to fall in heads knowing that when it came to him the coin always landed in the tail side. This time it was no different.

It hurt, it hurt like hell because even when you're expecting the punch, you can't do anything about the pain that comes with it.

That Friday night he went home as soon as he heard the first part of her conversation not wanting to hear anything else. He laid in bed still wearing his night clothes, staring deeply at the ceiling.

Maybe he should ask for a change of partner or say that he couldn't do it, invent any excuse to avoid getting more hurt and at the same time doing her a favor.

After hours of staring at the blank spot on the ceiling and the midnight conversation he had with his pillow he concluded that quitting this opportunity will leave him with a bad reputation in the music academy. Not being able to work with other people was certainly not a good image to his profile and he would never be contacted to work with other people in other projects if he got that reputation.

He couldn't quit on her, on them and he couldn't quit on himself.

The only good thing was that he now knew everything she thought about him and that allowed him to stop trying, stop trying to impress her or get close to her. He knew she hates him and the idea of being with him and since he can't do anything about the second thing he'll try to do something about the first one.

He's going to work hard with the making of the melody, he's going to practice more, perhaps adding extra hours to his classes, he might ask for help from one of his teachers and as much as he hates it; ask his brother some advice. But he's going to keep his distance, a fair distance between them, not talking unless it's necessary or work related, not staying more time that necessary and definitely not looking at her beautiful smile, because that always gets him and now he knows the smile is fake so he can't return it, he can't risk to another disappointed.

He can play, that he can do, he has practice to know the musical notes, to press his fingers against the keys to create melodies. He’s not what she asked for and he could never be.

There’s nothing else he can do than just play the piano, and hope that if he can't go back in time at least time will run fast and this would be over before he knows it.

He truly hopes that.

After a few minutes of ignoring the sound of the fateful future he realized that the minute hand was already pointing to the number two of watch.

Ten minutes late.

She was running ten minutes late, just ten minutes and he was already getting anxious, he should be happy or relieved that she wasnt here yet or that she wouldn't come at all but it was the total opposite, one more time his mind was playing tricks with him. He thought he didn't want to look at her not after Friday night and he had promised himself he would keep this strictly professional, so then why was he longing for her presence?

Why was one side of him praying that she doesn't come and the other side desperately wanting that she does.  
He doesn’t get it really, why does he feel so confused in everything when it comes to her? 

He's fucked up because the minute she walks into the studio 14 minutes late he smiles, even though he promised himself he wouldn't do it anymore. The moment she walks through the door apologizing for being late he is extremely glad that she made it, even though he doesn't want to feel that way, he promised not to.

Everything was a success in the end to be honest and he managed to avoid any conversation with her, concentrating more on what his fingers were doing in the piano instead of the constant doubts running through his mind. She seemed to be a little distant though which was great because it made everything easier, but just like with her arriving late he couldn't shake the feeling of asking her if she was okay or talking to her.   
But he couldn't, he shouldn't, she didn't want him to.

She made that totally clear.

***

”Do you have practice today Quel?” 

Raquel was focused on the snack placed in the bowl in front of her when Maeve entered the kitchen fresh from her shower and already wearing her pajamas.  
Raquel felt kind of jealous of her, because to answer her friends question she did have practice that day. She was meeting Sergio in an hour at his academy because her building closed early today and since he wasn’t available to rehearse earlier, they agreed on 8 p.m that day.

“How’s it going with the prospect?”

Maeve asked, stealing some of Raquel’s snacks as she sat in the chair in front of her.

“Better, I think we’re making progress and we have already finish 2 minutes of the piece which is great but he’s still the same with me, we’re far from being friends and I guess that sometimes gets me moody in rehearsal. But so far so great, and if I don't leave right now I'll probably be late and he's always quieter when I'm late”

Raquel said before grabbing her bag and getting out of the apartment.

She answered her friend’s question in the simplest way without giving much details but in her head she was thinking far more things about her progress with Sergio.

-How were she and Sergio doing?-

The answer wasn't as short and easy as the one she gave to Maeve and it always took a while to gather all her thoughts about them.

They were doing good, at least that's what she felt. After that disastrous Friday night and the venom words that got out of her mouth that day, she closed a little to him, obviously feeling guilty about the awful -and not true- thing she said about him.   
Her consolation was that there was no way that he could find out about it but it didn't shake the feeling that she didn't deserve to be her partner.

That's why she walked on eggshells that Wednesday after the party, keeping her distance and just doing the work. Her plan was to continue like that, keeping everything ”professional” because she was so mortified everytime she saw his face or initiated a conversation, it reminded her of the way she had betrayed him.

But it's been 4 weeks since then and he has made it so hard for her, making progress with him was so easy that she ended up falling in love with all Wednesdays, they started to work so good together and they seem to have a connection like no one else when it came to ideas for their festival piece.  
They were making such a good progress and seeing his shy smile every time she walked into his studio or he walked into room A-05 her day just got better and she felt this huge energy running through her body ready to dance and practice with him.

She began to like the times where he started to improvise on the piano and the look he gave her when she nailed the beats of the music with her movements was magnificent and made her chest feel warm.

The things she said that Friday night hunted her a bit more because now they were even further from being the truth but at the same time she started to forget about them and relax in his presence.

She likes how he brings certain tranquility to her everytime they see each other and how she simply forgets about all the problems she has. It's a combination between how she always feels free dancing and the way he feels like a breath of fresh air between all the other things in her life.  
And then there's the piece they're creating for the festival… They're doing such a good job with it that she's now confident about her audition and he has proved that to her. He has proved her so wrong. Because he's a good and hard worker and he's always there in time -unlike her- and he's so open to her ideas and he's just a good partner.

She abstains from saying he is the best partner she could ever ask for because there's this one thing that keeps her up at night and that doesn't let her say the words. He doesn't talk to her, he listens -like no one else- because doesn't talk at least not a the way a friend must do (because she now considers him her friend) he works hard and contributes to their rehearsals but it never goes further than that. Everytime she starts a conversation that it's not related to the festival he shuts down and just listen to her, she has tried multiple times to talk to him about anything but everything is vain, he doesn't talk to her.

She's still trying to figure that out but according to all the things she has heard about him, he simply is like with everyone, he's shy and not really social, he does what he's supposed to and just that.   
That actually makes her feel better because it means that it has nothing to do with her (it does). It means that is just his personality and that he acts like that around everyone.

-Although deep down she can't shake the feeling that he closed more after that Friday night, but she always hides that taught on the back of her mind because she might just be projecting herself-

She isn't giving up though, she wants to grow closer to him and she's not entirely sure why. He just has something that intrigues her to no end and she likes to be him, she's comfortable with him and she wants him to be comfortable with her.

The taxi arrives at the music studio, Raquel pays the driver and proceeds to enter the building, following the path she's now very acquainted to.  
She stops in her tracks a few steps away from the room she’s supposed to enter.

The melody of “Divenire” by Ludovico Einaudi fills her ears and she feels her throat tying in a knot and tears starting to form in her eyes. That song was her mother's favorite and the way the musician is playing the melody ignites the memory way too strong. It's beautiful and she has to close her eyes to savour the moment, to feel it just like her mother thought her, her fingers start to move unconsciously following the spectrum of the notes in the air and she begins to walk closer to where the sound is coming from.  
A combination of excitement and confusion gets to her when she realizes that the sound is coming from the room where she is supposed to meet with Sergio. Her feet get quietly to the door and she immediately smiles at the sight in front of her.

The question from the begging returns; have you ever been passionate about something? 

As we already established, Raquel does, she's passionate about dancing and she has been searching for that look she had in her mother’s favorite video, constantly looking for it everywhere she goes, searching for someone that understands the tingling in the stomach, the high, the rush, the joy.

She's looking at it right now, the look, the one from the little girl in the white leotard.  
Sergio has that same look while playing ”Divenire”, he's moving to the beat, his fingers, his shoulders, his head are all synchronized, evoking the most beautiful melody she has ever heard. The music notes are written all over his features and when smiles after finishing what must have been a difficult part of the song, she smiles too, she grins and giggles internally because she recognize the feeling and she knows exactly what is going through his mind.

Nothing, absolutely nothing’s going through his mind. He's just feeling not thinking, and she loves that look in him, she loves that she gets to see this side of him. Although Raquel knows that if he knew she was standing there he wouldn't let her see it. But she is and she's marveled at what her eyes are seeing.

It ignites something in her, it intrigues her more that she would like to admit and it ultimately surprises her. She never expected that Sergio Marquina owned that look and if he did she never expected that she would be able to witness it.

She's happy and now more than ever wants him to open up to her, she found her person, the one she's been looking for a long time and she's not gonna let go.

The song is about to end when the infernal sound of ringtone starts to sound, startling both. She courses at whoever dared to interrupt this magical moment -because that was it… Magic- realizing is just one of her colleagues from work she doesn't bother to answer, instead she puts away her phone and gives an apologetic look to Sergio.  
He's already pulling up his glasses, changing his face to a confused and embarrassing one.

-Damn you phone!- she thinks.

”You know I've been looking for someone with that look on your face and I haven't found it until now”

Her cheeks blush a little without realizing and she can't really tell what his eyes are saying when he asks her:

”What look?”

Raquel’s not sure if there are right words to describe that look, her mother tried to explain to her and she never got it. How do you explain something you can't begin to describe? 

”The one you had when you were playing that song, the way you were feeling the music it reflected on your face,never met someone with that look,I like it in you”

Sergio isn't really sure what she's talking about but he starts to panic, because on his hand the look she's giving him is making his chest feel warm and her eyes are telling him stories that cannot be true. It scares him that he's finding joy in the little things such as the look she's giving him. But he needs to focus, needs to remind himself that he once thought something like that and the reality was a whole different thing. He needs to stop with imaginary scenes, with the imaginary looks and the imaginary feelings.

He does, for a moment, believe that he hears a little voice inside him telling him that maybe this time he got it wrong. 

He's not going to risk it though.

Next chapter: ”You keep clouding my judgment”


	5. You keep clouding my judgment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooo!!🤗
> 
> Here’s chapter five, I think I walked in circles with this chapter 🥴but I truly hope you still enjoy this.
> 
> Sorry for all the mistakes.
> 
> Lost of love, Isa.

Chapter 5  
“You keep clouding my judgment” 

There comes a point in our lives where we need to stop for a moment and consciously reach for the answers of the multiple occurrences in our daily lives.  
The human being is always desperate to move forward, to walk in a straight line towards a goal or an achievement; walk forward so we won't get left behind. We have learned to don´t waste time in the past, but rather focus on what's about to come, what happened, happened and overthinking it would only lead to bad things and bad feelings because in the end we can't do anything about it. We can't change the past so why bother thinking about it.

This last statement can be seen from two different perspectives; one where the statement is true and another one that strongly differs from it. This last one proposes that the past is in fact the place where we can get answers, where we can learn. A place where we can always come back to look at all the bricks that are part of the construction that we´re in the present, look back at everything that got us where we are now, the path we choose, the decisions we made, the causes to the consequences of today.  
People argue that each time tense is equally important in our lives as beings; learn from the past, act in the present thinking about the future. Learn from mistakes, pause, look back and continue.

Raquel is confused, about so many things, and the answers to the doubts on her mind seem to be dispersed in the events from these past months, she can't really recall what has happen that is now making her feel like this, but then again she knows exactly what happen she just refuses to accept it, because it's weird and spontaneous, and out of nowhere and everywhere.

She likes him.

His name is having trouble getting out of her throat, she still can't say the phrase out loud, at least not with his name in it - I like Sergio- she has tried but the feeling hasn't really sunk in her, mostly because she doesn't understand it. “When did this happen?” “How did this happen?” are the two questions dancing in her thoughts right now.

The feeling isn't new of course, she has liked people and she has always been a relationship kind of girl, having been in multiple of them throughout her life, some good ones and some not really suitable to be categorized in that last word. Raquel is stubborn and curious so when something that she likes runs past her she usually runs for it, and she doesnt stop until she gets it. This time though, she is hesitating, she won't run towards something she doesn't understand or in this case someone.

She finds him different from everyone she has ever liked before, she finds him complex and word defying. And they're so different, she is this girl who rises to every occasion and he's not, he sinks to the bottom, she's talkative and spoken minded and he couldn't be more opposite to that. If she thinks through if she walked into a bar she wouldn't end up going home with him by the end of the night, firstly because he would never ask her to, never and secondly because being honest he´s not the kind of guy she would be looking for, yet, she wants to go home with him.

She definitely wants to go home with him by the end of the night.

The feeling is there and as much as she has tried to convince herself otherwise, he's there clouding her judgement, she repeats his name before drifting off to sleep every night, she is thinking about him more than she would like to admit. And that can only mean one thing.

This night in particular she's stressed about what she should do about her situation and to be honest she doesn't know where to begin, the first time she saw him she never imagined that she would find herself having feelings for him, specially when he haven't give her any incentive that he feels the same, in fact is the total opposite, there isn't a single sign that encourages her to make a move. But that can't be, because there has to be something that evoked this strong feeling in her. She needs to come back to find the answer.

She just got out of the shower, put some ice on her right knee that is still bothering her a little, and laid in her bed staring deeply at the ceiling, trying to understand the reason why this guy wouldn't leave her mind.  
She ended up recalling every single rehearsal they had had, every minimal detail that could have gone past her, looking for the answer of why she was falling for Sergio Marquina.

***

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 12 

She remembers being sitting on the floor talking to Maeve about some funny anecdote of her friend from work and a customer, both of them were laughing in front of the mirror when Maeve got up and turned around to greet the man that was just walking into room A-05. That was the first time she saw him, he was wearing a grey suit, something that wouldn't look very good on any 20 year old guy but he definitely wasn't the usual 20 year old guy, and it suited him in an untraditional kind of way. He had a trimmed beard, black glasses and his hair seemed to be the only thing out of place if you compared it with the rest of his tidy appearance. Now that she thinks about it she remembers having this hidden desire of running her hands through it. 

He didn't look anything like his brother, not physically nor in the energy they broadcasted, he was handsome, shy, nervous, cute, and he seemed to be uncomfortable on his feet. She noticed the way his eyes wouldn't leave her and as much as she wanted she couldn't get her eyes off him either. 

That was the first time she saw him pulling up his glasses nervously, something that she was now very acquainted to, he had that habit. 

That day they did start with their left foot and she seriously thought that that was it, she had been set to failure, watching him run the second they had finished without saying goodbye felt a little rude to her, but she couldn't blame him they were a disaster and they both knew it. She didn't expect him to come back running to apologize.

That was the first sign. So obvious yet she didn't see it that first time.

He opened up to her with such ease, he let her see his vulnerable side and she was so sure he didn't show that to everyone, she found herself mesmerized by his honesty and the soothing tone of his voice, even when he sounded desperate for her to give him another chance. She did and she would do it again a million times over.  
That was why she organized another rehearsal with him, and she loved the smile he gave her and the way he looked so relieved about it, being that honest with her was hard for him and she felt kind of special that he felt free to be like that with her.

When she got home that wednesday she was bombarded by Maeve´s questions, who wouldn't stop repeating the conexion she had witnessed in that room.

“So how was it? tell me everything, was he good, awful, mediocre, amazing,...”  
The questioning started the minute she walked into their apartment, Maeve was already opening the door before Raquel had the chance to use her keys, and she had to stop her before it got out of her hands. She loves her best friend but she can go over the top sometimes with these interrogations. 

Having trouble to find the words to describe her night she settled with an easy answer: “I guess it was fine”

Maeve gave her a nasty look obviously not satisfied with the answer she gave, her friend stood there with her arms crossed looking like she was expecting something from her.

“What?” 

“Well is that it? I need details babe, a detailed description of how your rehearsal with the prospect went, your future depends on him you know”

“Don't remind me”

She was very much aware of that fact and she internally cursed at her friend for bringing it up. She was so overwhelmed with the fact that there wasn't a trail of lies in that statement, her life did depend on him.

Moving her hands to massage the throbbing sides of her head in the search of reducing the ache she was starting to feel there, she heard Maeve ask: 

“Oh that bad?”

“I don't know Maeve, it didn't go well, at least it didn't start well I think we don't make a good team he kept messing up with multiple notes on the piano and we were just not getting anywhere, and you know how grumpy I get when I'm feeling stressed, so I guess that only made him more nervous and everything went downhill from then. But…”

“But?” She raised her eyebrows extremely curious to the continuation of the story, Raquel could see that Maeve was extremely interested in hearing this and she found it strange, but she just sent the thought to the back of her mind, she would get back to it another time.

“He left almost running like a scared kid when we finished,” Raquel said, remembering the sudden way he left the room.

“Oh god Raquel, what did you do to him?”

There was a smirk threatening to appear on Maeve´s face, she knew her friend like the back of her hand and she knew that she could be a little scary from time to time, she had this passionate self that magnified every single one of her emotions. She loved with intensity, she got over excited, she cared to the extremes, she fighted for her desires and she was quite scary when she was mad. She had learned that in a bad way, but she would be lying if she said that that wasn't her best quality and the reason she admires her so much. 

Raquel was almost close to return the smirk of her friend, because if you think about it, the situation was kind of funny, a huge disaster, but she settled with been taken aback by her friend´s comment which resulted in her raising her arms, palms facing to her in a sign of innocence.

“Nothing!!! We finished practice and I guess he was as embarrassed as me, so I got angry, not with him, with my situation I need to win this Maeve and the beginning of this audition rehearsal was a mess, I can't afford messines, I can't go back to Basauri with dad, I can't”

There was a tone of desperation in her voice and her eyes got so watery that her eyesight became a little blurry. She didn't know what to do, going back to her hometown with her dad would only mean that he had won and he had been right saying that the life she was building was an impossible dream, a childish tantrum. All the work she has put in this would end up being in vain.

“You won't” Maeve tried to comfort her by wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug that Raquel gladly accepted hiding her face in her friend´s neck allowing a few tears to fall down her cheeks soaking Maeve´s blouse, not that any of them care anyways.  
Maeve hated to see her best friend this upset, she was like family to her, more than that, she was her favorite person on earth and seeing her like that broke her heart, mostly because she couldn't do anything about it. She and her mom could hardly cope with the expenses of the academy and the maintenance of the apartment, she was actually starting to look for a part time job to help her mom a bit, helping Raquel with her own expenses was not an option as much as she would like to help her.

Maeve remembered the old days when Mariví was still alive and she supported Raquel more than any other mom, including hers; Barbara, her mom was supportive but she wasn't that interested in her daughter´s career as a dancer, she didn't attend all of her recitals like Raquel´s mom did, she didn't listened attentive to every new step she had learned that day, she was a neutral mom and that was more than good for her, she loves her mom and is glad to have her in her life, but she would be lying if she said that it didn't warmed her heart the relationship between Raquel and her mom. Marivi´s death was a dark time for her friend, a sad time where she isolated from everywhere and everyone, those days she wasn't Raquel, she was numb and when time began to pass and her wound started to heal beat she remembers seeing her smile for the first time when she returned to dance class, she saw a spark of the life she has lost that day. Dance safe her and her father never understood that, the support her friend used to get disappeared like the sun when a storm is about to come; suddenly and without warning. Her father stop to support her probably because seeing her little girl dancing reminded her of her wife and he couldn't, so he started to projectify her sadness in the denial of supporting her daughter's dream.

She would never say that to Raquel, but it hurted to see how things changed since those days, going downhill finally starting to crumble over her friend´s head. 

Minutes went by and Raquel had calmed herself almost completely, remembering how everything ended with Sergio and feeling a smile threatening to reflect in her face as she recalled the cuteness of his apology she proceeded to tell her friend the missing part of the story, the good part.

“He came back a few minutes later, looking flush from running and he apologized for messing up and not saying goodbye, he spoke with so much honesty and he told me that he's not used to working with people, but that he's gonna do his best, and he's gonna work hard for us to make a beautiful piece, for us Mae. He was so sweet and I knew opening to me like that was being hard on him, he must have always lived under the shadow of his brother, that's awful because he seems like a good guy and maybe he's not working to his full potential because people dont let him and I felt like the worst person on earth because what if I misjudged him too? and I didn't give him the chance to prove me wrong. The minute they said he was going to be my partner I created this idea in my head that I was screwed, how would I win if my partner was going to be the untalented Marquina. But I think he's not, you should've seen his face looking all nervous apologizing to me.  
I could see it in the way he asked for another chance, he's a hard worker and he wants to make this work. So in the end… I don't know, I truly don't know how this is gonna work out, but I won't run from it, I'm gonna run with it. With Sergio”

She finished the sentence feeling something she couldn't quite point out at the mention of his name coming out of her mouth.

Maeve gave her a huge smile, which she interpreted as an achievement of the detailed description she had asked for.

“There's your detailed description of how my rehearsal with the prospect went”

“You're grinning”

“What?” 

-What was she talking about?-

“In the end when you were saying how he apologized to you, you were grinning and I know that grin, I know that look in your face”

There was a malicious look on Maeve´s face and when she didn't explain further Raquel raised her eyebrow totally lost in the conversation and her friend´s insinuations.

“You like him,” Maeve said confidently.

“Are you crazy? NO! I don't like him, I just felt bad for cursing at him in my mind and he looked so sweet nervously apologizing to me”

Raquel felt herself blushing -Why was she blushing?- and when a smile threatened to show once again, she forced herself to stop.

“That's all” She said, hoping that her friend didn't notice the pink color of her cheeks.

That day she didn't have a clue of why her body reacted that way, it seemed like her brain and body were not connected at all, she was acting the total opposite of what she was thinking and saying. Now looking back at it she gets it a bit more, that was definitely the first signal.

“Well you two semeed to be unable to get your eyes off each other, I saw a connection there Quel, and you know I'm never wrong with this” Maeve said recalling the way she was the one who welcomed Sergio to the room and his eyes weren't in her when she was introducing herself, instead they were focused on her friend on the back and she could swear she a spark in them, the same spark she saw when she turned around to look at Raquel's eyes, that were also focused on him. 

“You're crazy, how about we change subject and you tell me how was your first rehearsal with Perez you didn't tell me yesterday”

Maeve rolled her eyes at her friend´s attempt to avoid the subject, she´ll give it to her this time but there's no way she's gonna let this go, she´ll bring it up some other time. 

“Aha keep ignoring the facts love, but okay i'll tell you…”

***

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 19

Sign number two was so obvious that day; the comforting silence, the light energy, the reassurance of his presence, the safeness of it.

She remembers having an awful week, one of the worst she has ever gone through and she also remembers how good it felt to rehearse with him that day. Not being lucky the days before she wasn't really looking forward to another awkward rehearsal with Sergio but she was deeply surprised when she discovered that there was something about him that made her feel at peace.

Calm.

That wednesday she realized that he was different from everything else in her life, he represented an escape; his silence in contrast with all noise that was present in her life lately felt good, felt extremely good, the way he smiled at her; unsure, his head down felt comforting, reassuring. She didn't expect to like his presence that much and his mistakes with the piano which were far less than last time didn't seem to bother her this time, not at all. The 20 seconds they did that day were great and she definitely saw them as the begging of what might be a good piece.

Watching him play the piano feeling a little bit more comfortable moved something inside her and just like she had feared she judged him wrong, he was no Mozart or Bethoven but she liked his style and just like he promised her, he was working hard for them, for him and for her.

Going back to that day she feels awful because that was such a great rehearsal, and he was also great, nothing compared to what she said to Gaby two days later, it still haunts her.

He also made her laugh that day, something that felt extremely liberating and strange because out of all the people that surrounds her, she never thought he could make her laugh when she was that grumpy thanks to the bad days she had been having. He was at the bottom of her list, he wasn't even in the list. Maybe that's why he was able to, because it was unexpected, because he came without further notice, he didn't try to make her feel happier or make her smile, he just did.

Spontaneusly.

“How come you are nothing like your brother?” 

She mentioned that day when he accidently dropped his music sheets on the floor. He got in his knees looking red as a tomato hoping to grab them as quickly as possible, she kneeled by his side to help him, but her hands stopped when she took a glance at him, the look on his face was almost comical giving the fact that he had only dropped a few sheets, he was acting like he have opened the door to someone's bathroom or something worse. She found that funny and cute and according to his persona.

His glasses kept falling from his face due to his kneeling position and he was having such a hard time keeping them in place. Everything about his body language screamed awkwardness, and the way his eyes kept nervously looking at her for brief seconds made her question herself how in the world he was related to Andres Marquina. They didn't resemble each other, not a bit. 

He managed to grab the music sheets quickly and when the two of them got up she extended her hand to him to give her the sheet she had picked up. Their hands touched for just a second -that´s all it takes a match to light fire- and she offered him a tiny smile reflected a little bit more in eyes not her lips, but he caught it anyways, and he raised his eyebrows lightly at the same time a mumble came out of his mouth indicating that he haven't quite understood her sudden question.

“I mean I don't know him that much but we have interacted a few times and he has quite a reputation and everyone calls him Wonka because he's this funny extravagant being that is always throwing a party to show off”

Raquel said, earning a nod from him.

“Yeah that's a pretty accurate description of him but I think my brother is way more extra than Wonka and Andres hates chocolate” 

There it was, he didn't even make an effort, he effortlessly got the laugh out of her, something that she didn't know she needed to let out. And it felt so good, laughing with him proved to be the highlight of that week, and none of the troubles that were dancing in her mind that day seemed to matter, she felt good in that moment, she was able to let go, he allowed her to. She let go of all her worries thanks to a single laugh (she´ll have to make sure to thank him for that another time).

To be honest she doesn't know if she was craving that laugh or if his comment was actually funny, but one thing was for sure that was the first he had said more than three words to her if you don't count his apology from last week and she also liked that, a lot. She likes his voice and the way he's so easy to talk to, the same way he's the best listener she had ever met. 

Maybe it was in the delicacy or the simplicity of the moment but looking back at it she never realized the beauty of watching him laugh with her, because he did and his eyes got smaller and two dimples showed in his cheeks, she likes those. And she also likes the sound of his laugh combined with hers, she just never realized how much she does.

They stood smiling at each other for a few moment before she asked:

“And what about you? do you hate chocolate?” she questioned as she gave him another sweet smile.

“Not really, I love chocolate” he answered chuckling a little.

“I love chocolate too”

Now that she thinks about it that was the last real conversation they had.

***

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26

That was a hard rehearsal, mostly because she was walking on eggshells around him after everything she said to Gaby at Monica's party and he seemed to be quieter, probably aware of her hesitation of being in the same room with him. 

Sign three wasn't as obvious as the last two and Raquel just realized about it now. There were two things; the first one was that since that day she realized that he is more quieter everytime she gets late ( The reason to this has everything to do with her and what he imagines when she does that, but she isn't aware of that) but even then he never fails to smile at her everytime she walks into the room and vice versa. God that shy smile of him, it does something to her. It evokes a warm feeling inside her stomach. 

Fluttering comfortably inside her she always gets it when he smiles at her.

Raquel hopes that this isn't just a formality of him, but rather that it means he's happy to see her, mostly because since then she's always happy to see him.

The second thing is the way she missed his eyes that day. She couldn't really face him that wednesday, feeling ashamed of looking at his eyes and since confronting the look of the guy she had trashed a few days ago was not an option she avoided it. She avoided him as much as she could because every little look and interaction with him was making her feel awful, like a traitor, a liar.  
She never imagined that the reason why she got extremely grumpy when she arrived home was exactly what she had been avoiding through their rehearsal. 

His face, his eyes and the comfort that came with it. She missed that deeply, utterly.  
Not being able to remember the look on his face that day upset her, it upset her to no end. She loves the sparkle of his pupils and the brown color of his irises reflected under the crystal of his glasses and not being able to look at him was torture for her, at least it felt like it after that rehearsal and the following days.

She had never felt that before, that desire to look at someone's eyes and also she had never felt anything similar to what she feels when he looks at her.

Pure.

She usually doesn't like when people stares at her for long periods of time, especially men they never have good intentions and the way they always look at her feels aggressive, intrusive. That doesn't happen with, there isn't a trace of aggressiveness on the way he looks at her, and nor does it feel intrusive quite the opposite; she always tries to invite him to make eye contact with her, her eyes are always subconsciously searching for him, because he feels welcoming, safe.

Admiration, perhaps that's what she catches in his eyes before he gets embarrassed and looks away. 

Or maybe they're just reflecting what hers mean.

Admiration. 

***

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 9

Raquel obviously thought about the possibility that maybe she just wants to be friends with Sergio. Her mind was always filled with thoughts like that; maybe she just finds him interesting, maybe he represents a challenge and she likes challenges or maybe she just feels guilty about judging him wrong and speaking badly of him and she's just trying to clean her conscience.

Maybe and just maybe she has never met someone like him and she wants to know more about him, out of pure curiosity.  
Also what if they got along better in a friendly environment that would definitely make them work better and she would have better chances of winning the lead part and more importantly the scholarship.

Becoming friends with Sergio would make him feel more comfortable around her and that would only mean he was gonna stop tip toeing with her when it came to the creation of their musical piece. 

But no, there was something wrong in Raquel’s theory and now that she was unveiling everything she realized a couple more things. Of course she wants to be her friend, of course she wants him to feel comfortable around her and of course she wants to win this.  
But there's something more, the thing that's keeping her awake at night. The small letters at the end of the document are comfortably printed in her most hidden desires, or perhaps her heart, dying to be readed by her, to be discovered, to bloom.

She also wants him.

That is what the small print says. 

On wednesday october 9 he brought her chocolates, she suspects that they were not initially for her or that he didn't mean to give them to her, but he did and the small gesture was once again the highlight of her week, not that rehearsing with him wasn't enough. It was.

“I think we did a good job today, we're progressing don't you think Sergio?”

She had mentioned to him that day, she was happy and bubbly for no special reason, but what she told him was true; they were making such good progress together and that brought her an inexplicable feeling of joy and fullfiness.  
He settled with giving her a nod and a side smile -Again the one she liked so much- By now she was very much used to him getting nervous whenever she started a conversation with him. She found it cute but at the same time another part of her always got annoyed because she doesn't get it, she wants to talk to him so badly and he doesn't seem to have any interest in it. In her.

Why?

Thinking about something else to talk to him about she noticed the black backpack resting on the floor right next to the piano and her own bag, she had not noticed it until then and she found it strange, there wasn't usually a backpack there. Never.

“Are you going somewhere?” She asked, pointing her finger at the backpack next to him.

-She tilted her head to the side when she questioned him and of course she’s not aware of it but Sergio found that gesture in her extremely beautiful. The way her eyes narrowed at him with curiosity and the way some tufts of her hair moved to the side due to the tilting of her head marveled him-

“Mhmm no, why?” Sergio answered. Not really understanding what she meant.

“You brought a backpack, you're never carrying one”

No he doesn’t, he always leaves his belongings on his car, his white car and usually only carries the music sheets, a notebook and a black pen but he’s always carrying them with his arm -left arm- never in a backpack.

It scares her a bit, the fact that she's aware of these little details because they aren't the only one, those are only a few of what she's aware of. 

Perhaps that is another sign; she's attentive with him, she knows him or rather knows how he acts and as simple as it seems she finds it extremely interesting and she can't help it.

Here's a list of things she has learned about him:

He's never late -unlike her- never, he pushes his glasses up when he's nervous or uncomfortable and he does it with his index and thumb, he always wears a suit but never with a tie or a bow and he never buttons the last buttons of his shirt, he highlights with yellow and writes in capitals.

He loves using the musical note ”sol” and he never plays with his left pinky.

If he's standing he always puts his hands on his pockets and he likes to run his hands through his hair -she wants to do it too-

“Oh, I´m not going anywhere”

His voice brought her back to reality.

“So… then what? Is it a secret? you're gonna hide a body or something?” 

She tried to sound as funny as possible but in her head she was cringing. Then he smiled and laughed a little showing his dimples and everything was fine.

Mission accomplished.

“No, I brought something”

“Oh really?”

He nodded his head and she walked closer, feeling curious about whatever he has brought she grabbed the backpack and turned to look at him to ask:

“Can I look?” He nodded his head again.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye one more time before moving the zipper of the bag to open it.

Inside there was only one thing, she found a red cardboard box with what looked like a gold ribbon wrapped around it, curious she took out the box and her eyes grew at the sight of what it was.

“No way!! You brought chocolates, that's amazing. I've been craving this for days and since I'm broke I can't afford than whim. Do you know how much a bar costs nowadays? I can buy three cans of soup with that money”

She almost went overboard with her personal issues, almost telling him all the problems she was currently facing, all her worries and the weight on her shoulders. The thing was that it was so easy to talk to him, extremely easy, he evoked a rare feeling of comfort and security. And she felt like she could tell him everything, he didn't look like the judge type, he would never judge her.

“Can I have one?” Raquel asked with a face of ’pretty please’.

“You can have them all, they're yours” He reassured her.

“Really?”

“Yes”

Like she said before she doesn't know if the chocolates were initially for her -she wishes though- or if he felt forced to give them to her when she has already seen them. Either way it warmed her heart, the fact that he remembered that she loves chocolate resulted in the rhythmical beating of her heart, the warm feeling on her chest and the huge grin on her face.

“Thank you, really” 

She doesn't know why she did it but she kissed his cheek.

It was just a light touch of her lips against his skin, fast and doubtful, but it felt like flames -maybe that's why she separated from him like a light-  
His skin burned with the reminder of her lips pressed against it and her lips felt exactly the same.

Mouthing an apology didn't seem like the right to do. Her parents thought her since she was young that unless she regretted her action she couldn't apologize because it would be in vain, it wouldn't mean anything.

She definitely didn't regret it then nor does she now.

“At least have one, we can share them”

“Uhm… actually”

Maybe she did regret it a bit, because he blushed a deep shade of red and he looked like he didn't wanna be there, she made him nervous, more than usual and that she did regret.

“You need to leave?” It was more of a statement than a question, she offered him an out of the situation, and he seemed to be thankful for it.

“It's okay, thank you, Sergio” 

She said sincerely, getting a response equally sincere:

”Your welcome” 

”I'll see you next Wednesday” 

They said goodbye, as he grabbed his stuff to leave and she clutched the box tight against her chest.

“I promise not to finish them in one day!”

She yelled at him before he disappeared outside the door.

Both of them smiled at that.

***

TUESDAY OCTOBER 15

This one is easy and simple. She's always yearning for wednesday.

Subconsciously looking forward to meeting him at 7:00 p.m at one of their respectable academies, craving for it, for them.

For him.

***

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 23

Her mother was her favorite person, her best friend and when she lost her a part of her left with Marivi also.

Hearing him play ‘that song’ on the piano was almost too overwhelming for him, she felt like crying and at the same time clinging at his neck. “Divenire” played by him, passionately played by him meant more than the memory of her mom. It gave her an answer. The answer.

If she wasn't sure before, she's sure now.

She likes Sergio.

Next chapter: “I missed you the other day”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay a quick disclaimer for the next chapters... keep in mind that Sergio think Raquel hates him or at least resents him and Raquel thinks the only reason why he doesn't talk to her is just because of his shy personality but no, both of them are wrong as you can see🙈 the interesting part starts now (aca the angst) please bear with me😁

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo.... Thoughts?  
> Let me know everything 
> 
> You can find me on twitter as: @Safandomera  
> I would love to meet you all🤍🤍


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